One of the major tribal groups in Tamil Nadu, the population of the Irula tribe is 105,759 (Census of India, 1981). Some of them also live in Kerala and Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, their concentration is more in the north western districts of Tamil Nadu especially in the Chengalpet district. The other districts with considerable population of the Irulas are North Arcot, South Arcot, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Periyar and Nilgiris. They speak the Irula dialect, Irula Basai. The Irula language is an unwritten independent south Indian language of the Tamil-Malayal am sub-group.

The traditional lifestyle of the Irula tribe is gradually changing. P Thamizoli, in his study on the Irulas, says that lack of sincerity of the government officials has led to the failure of many programmes for these tribals. The political leaders from outside and the formal introduction of a statutory village Panchayat, and their increasing contacts with other people have led to a collapse of their traditional social structure.

According to a study on the Irulas by Jakka Parthasarthy: "The Irular of Nilgiri and Coimbatore districts have successfully used the developmental facilities provided to them by the government as well as voluntary organisations. The Irular of the Nilgiris afford a case for study of modes of adaptation, acculturation and modernisation. On the contrary, the Irular in the plains seemed very backward, illiterate and are facing great economic exploitation from the neighbouring peasant and non-tribal communities."

Most of the Irulas in the plains are not covered by the Integrated Tribal Development Programmes. The Integrated Rural Development Programmes mostly end up benefiting the wrong groups. Therefore, the Irulas are a neglected lot.